Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to: an image processing system including a portable terminal and a plurality of image processing apparatuses all of which can be connected to each other via a network; a portable terminal preferably employed in this image processing system; an image processing apparatus identifying method for the image processing system; and a recording medium with a program to make a computer execute processing.
Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
There is a known technology allowing a user to transmit a job to an image processing apparatus via a network to execute, by operating a portable terminal such as a portable digital assistance.
In this technology, if there are multiple image processing apparatuses available which are connected to the network, the user needs to select one of the available image processing apparatuses to execute the job.
The user is allowed to obtain information of these available image processing apparatuses by searching the network and view them in list form on a display. However, it would not be easy to identify the image processing apparatuses promptly only by the information shown in the list, which are only model names and IP addresses. Specifically, when a user hopes to use his/her most convenient image processing apparatus for example in an unfamiliar place while being on a business trip, it would hardly be possible to identify it by examining every model name and IP address shown in the list, neither of which is familiar to him/her, too.
Suggested in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-173251 is a technology which allows a communication device to identify an image forming apparatus most close to the communication device itself by searching with its own searching portion, when communicating with an image forming apparatus over a communication technology forming a relatively small communication area, Bluetooth for example. Using Bluetooth, the communication device is allowed to search only a small range by exchanging a BD address (Bluetooth device address) with other devices in the communication area.
Suggested in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-350588 is a method which allows a matching server installed between a portable terminal and a section of image processing apparatuses to identify an image processing apparatus matching the portable terminal, by receiving identical information from both of them in a predetermined period of time.
Suggested in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-86998 is a method which allows an image processing apparatus to: obtain a storage location of a target document by reading the target document displayed on a portable terminal by its own scanner or by receiving the target document over infrared communication; search a document storage server for the target document; and print it out.
Suggested in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-042807 is a method which allows identifying an image processing apparatus at a location where a portable terminal exists, based on GPS data of the portable terminal, which is registered on a plurality of image processing apparatuses.
Suggested in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-262414 is a method which allows identifying a printer by reading a barcode indicating a printer identification number, being fixed on the printer, by a portable terminal.
Suggested in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-140192 is a method which allows identifying a default printer as described below. In that method, when a user is logged on a printer while the printer is in authentication mode, the printer obtains information of a portable terminal linked to him/her according to his/her login information and displays a “default printer setting button” on an operation panel of the printer itself. When the button is pressed by the user, the printer transmits an instruction to set a default printer to the portable terminal. Receiving this instruction therefrom, the portable terminal recognizes this printer as a default printer.
However, there are problems not having been solved yet with the technologies described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 2003-173251, No. 2006-350588, No. 2007-86998, No. 2009-42807, and No. 2010-262414; that is, these technologies require an additional communication device using Bluetooth or infrared and a server storing printer identification numbers or require more complex configurations in order to make a matching pair of a portable terminal and an image processing apparatus and store registered GPS data of a portable terminal.
Also, there is a problem with the technology disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-140192; that is, this technology requires an image processing apparatus store in advance connection information indicating users and their portable terminals because of the need to identify users by user authentication, meaning that users cannot use an image processing apparatus not storing the connection information, for example in an unfamiliar place while being on a business trip.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.